Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez reckons Arsenal will be sweating to keep in-form striker Fernando Torres in check when the sides clash in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, first leg of which takes place tomorrow at the Emirates Stadium.

The Reds, who also take on the Gunners in the Premiership at the weekend before the return-leg at Anfield, have benefited from Torres’ fine form in his debut season in England as he has scored 28 goals so far including four in the Champions League.

"Arsenal will know that Torres is on fire and is scoring goals and will be a problem for them," Benitez told a press conference.

"Fernando also knows that if we play well he will score goals, so he will work hard for the team. As this is a European competition he wants to play well and score goals.

"He has a great mentality and is very competitive, but against the top sides he must be focused and have confidence in himself because against the best defenders it will be more difficult."

On Torres’ prolific progress since his summer arrival from Atletico Madrid, Benitez said: "In Spain he was playing on his own up front. He was going to wide areas and was working hard to receive the ball and go against defenders.

"Here he has Steven Gerrard, Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt behind him, so he can play higher. That is the reason why he has scored more goals."